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Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

The Office of the Chief Rabbi is the institutional identity for the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth [UK]. Unlike in other European countries, individuals serving as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations are not formally designated by an authoritative state or civic body. Rather, the "office" is occupied by the senior rabbi of the United Synagogue, the umbrella institution for its affiliated Orthodox and Ashkenazi synagogues in the United Kingdom. The position of Chief Rabbi in the UK grew out of an 18th century desire among British Jewry for a respected representative figure comparable to the Archbishop of Canterbury for Anglican Christians. Rabbi Aaron Hart (1670–1756), rabbi of the Great Synagogue in London since 1704, was thus regarded by the 1750s as the first of the British chief rabbis. Over the next century and as British Jewry continued to grow, by the tenure of Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler (from 1845-1890) the communal leadership and halakhic authority of the position had become firmly established. When in 1870, the Great Synagogue joined with four other synagogues, and was formally recognized as the United Synagogue by an Act of Parliament, the Chief Rabbi was legally established as its head. The current chief rabbi of the UHC and senior rabbi of the United Synagogue is Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis. (The Office of the Chief Rabbi should not be mistaken for the London Beit Din, the Court of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations.)

https://chiefrabbi.org
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תפילה עבור המלך | Prayer for the Monarch at the Coronation of King Charles Ⅲ, by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 2023)

Contributed by: Ephraim Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

The Prayer for the Monarch included in the “Prayers of Thanksgiving and Supplication to Mark the Coronation of their Majesties King Charles Ⅲ and Queen Camilla, Shabbat 6th May, 2023 (15 Iyar, 5783)” as circulated via PDF.


Prayer for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ, by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 2022)

Contributed by: Ephraim Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This Prayer for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was shared by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, Ephraim Mirvis, on 25 May 2022, via their website.


Prayer to Mark the Passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ, by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 2022)

Contributed by: Ephraim Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This is “A Prayer to mark the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth” offered by Rabbi Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth after her death on 8 September 2022. The text was transcribed from a PDF disseminated from the website of the Office of the Chief Rabbi.


תפלה למספד על המלך גארג | Prayer for the Memorial Service of King George Ⅵ (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, 15 February 1952)

Contributed by: Isidor Grunfeld, Alexander Altmann, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

This is the prayer offered at the “Memorial Service on Friday, 15th February, 1952 (Eve of Sabbath, 19th Shebat, 5712) at the New West End Synagogue (London, W. 2) for His Late Majesty King George (VI)” as given by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (officiated by Dayan Dr. I. Grunfeld and Rabbi Dr. A. Altmann, M.A. [Joint Deputies for the Chief Rabbi], the Rev. Ephraim Levine, M.A., the Rev. R.H. Levy, M.A.). Many thanks to Jeffrey Maynard for providing the page images of the service containing this prayer at his blog, Jewish Miscellanies.


Prayer of Intercession [for Britain in the War against Nazi Germany], by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 1940)

Contributed by: Joseph Herman Hertz, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

“Prayer for Intercession,” almost certainly written by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, was published in the Prayer Book of Jewish Members of H.M. Forces (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1940), pp. 18-19.


Prayer on the Declaration of War [against Nazi Germany], by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 1940)

Contributed by: Joseph Herman Hertz, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

This prayer for victory and deliverance in the war against Nazi Germany, simply titled “War Prayer,” appears in the Prayer Book of Jewish Members of H.M. Forces (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1940), pp. 16-17. Sections of the prayer were adapted from the prayer on the declaration of war by Rabbi Hertz in 1914 at the outset of World War I. In the preface to the payer book, Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz specifically mentions this prayer, among others, as having been newly revised for this publication. The initial version of the prayer, likely to have been written by Rabbi Hertz, was published by the Office of the Chief Rabbi for a 17 Tammuz service in July 1938. A revision was disseminated after Kristallnacht (9-10 November 1938). This is the third version of the prayer.


Prayer on the Declaration of War [against Imperial Germany], by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 1914)

Contributed by: Joseph Herman Hertz, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

“Prayer Composed by the Chief Rabbi on the Declaration of War. (August 1914.),” by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, was published in the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 32.


Prayer for Sailors and Soldiers on Active Service, by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 1914)

Contributed by: Joseph Herman Hertz, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

“Prayer for Sailors and Soldiers on Active Service,” was likely written by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz and published at the outset of the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 5.


Prayer on the Jubilee of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Marcus Adler (21 June 1887)

Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Nathan Marcus Adler, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This prayer by chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire Nathan Marcus Adler is found in an order of service prepared for the celebration of Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1887.


תְּפִלָּה לְהַצְלָחַת חַיִל הַמַּלְכָּה בְּאֶרֶץ כּוּשׁ | A Prayer for Her Majesty’s Forces in the Sudan, by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Marcus Adler (1885)

Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Nathan Marcus Adler, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This prayer for the well-being of Her Majesty’s military forces in the Sudan, was offered by chief rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler for use by the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire in the context of British involvement in the Mahdist War, and specifically after news reached Britain of the Battle of Abu Klea in January 1885.


Prayer for a Day of Prayer and Humiliation on Account of the Revolt in India, by the Synagogues of the United Congregations of the British Empire (6 November 1857)

Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Nathan Marcus Adler, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This “Prayer for a day of prayer and humiliation on account of the revolt in India” is the first of two prayers appearing in an article titled, “Humiliation” appearing in The Asmonean (6 November 1857), on page 5. As an introduction, the article begins: “The British nation have been holding a day of humiliation on account of the revolt in India. The following are copies of the prayers specially composed for the occasion.” The prayer is attributed simply to the Synagogues of the United Congregations of the British Empire but the author was likely its chief rabbi, Nathan Marcus Adler.


A Prayer Service in Thanksgiving for the military success of British over French Napoleonic forces, by Rabbi Moses Myers and David Levi (29 November 1798)

Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), David Levi (translation), Moses Myers, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This is a full transcription of a patriotic and civic prayer service offered on 29 November 1798 at the German Jews’ Synagogue in London, composed by chief Rabbi Moses Myers and translated into English by David Levi. The unique prayers by Rabbi Myers are openly anti-French and anti-Napoleonic, in alignment with British sentiment in the war against the forces of Napoleon and thrilled with the naval defeat of Napoleonic forces at the Battle of the Nile in August of that year by rear admiral Horatio Nelson.


In the aftermath of an attempted assassination, a Prayer Service of Thanksgiving for the wellbeing of King George Ⅲ — by Rabbi Moses Myers and David Levi (29 October 1795)

Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), David Levi (translation), Moses Myers, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations

This is a full transcription of a patriotic and civic prayer service offered on 29 October 1795 at the German Jews’ Synagogue in London, composed by chief Rabbi Moses Myers and translated into English by David Levi. The prayers on behalf of King George Ⅲ came in the aftermath of the unraveling of the “Popgun Plot,” an alleged 1794 conspiracy by three members of the London Corresponding Society to assassinate the kning by means of a poison dart fired from an airgun. Three members, Paul Thomas LeMaitre, John Smith, and George Higgins, were arrested in late 1794, and Robert Thomas Crossfield in December 1795. Ultimately, all four were acquitted of treason in May 1796, on the grounds that the chief witness against them was dead.


הַנּוֹתֵן תְּשׁוּעָה | Prayer for the Royal Family and Armed Forces of King Charles Ⅲ (2022)

Contributed by: Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Unknown, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

This is the formula of the prayer for the government established by chief rabbi Joseph H. Hertz as introduced in 1935 for King George IV at the Royal Jubilee Service and included in his revised Authorised Prayer Book, vol. II (1942/3), p. 506-507. In 2014, this formula was amended by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis of the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth, to include a short passage in recognition of the United Kingdom’s armed forces.


הַנּוֹתֵן תְּשׁוּעָה | Prayer in honour of the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ, by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations 2016)

Contributed by: Ephraim Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

This “Prayer in honour of the Queen’s 90th birthday,” was first delivered by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis for the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on Shabbat 11th June 2016, and shared via their website in English. Side-by-side with the English we have set the Hebrew text from the formula of the traditional prayer “haNoten Teshua” as used by the Office of the Chief Rabbi as amended in 2014.


הַנּוֹתֵן תְּשׁוּעָה | Prayer for the Royal Family and Armed Forces of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ (2014)

Contributed by: Ephraim Mirvis, Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, Unknown

In 2014, the formula of “haNoten Teshua” suggested by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the UK and the Commonwealth, was amended by the chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, to include a short passage in recognition of the United Kingdom’s armed forces.



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